630 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. March 20, 1914. Leicestershire. C04L. There has been less doing all round. On the whole, the demand fluctuates much as the weather does. Still there is generally a fairly good amount of business passing. Some collieries are much better off than others. In some quarters, also, there is some stock accumulating. The demand for household coal is not so good as it has been for some time past, and as the season advances no great revival is likely. Steam coals continue to be in fairly good enquiry, and the output of this coal is very generally cleared. Local merchants, considering all conditions, are fairly busy, but they do not venture much beyond their more immediate requirements. The quotations current are showing easiness for some sorts, but on the whole there is as yet no great alteration. South lorth Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Hednesford. CMLi There has been very little change since last report in the condition of the coal trade of the Cannock Chase district, which is fairly satisfactory for the time of the year. The collieries are well employed, most of them working full time, and there is not much coal in stock. There is very little alteration in prices. There has been a slight revival in the demand for coal for domestic purposes due to the colder weather experienced, and for manufacturing sorts the enquiry is much the same as when last reported. Rail- way and canal sales are keeping up very well, and a fair business is being done at the landsale depots. ML. The wintry weather has given a decided spurt to the household trade, and no slackening is anticipated this side of Easter. Prices are steady for the better qualities. A smaller trade is being done in manufacturing fuel. No change has been notified in quotations, which are:— Prices at pit. THE WELSH MD IR01 TOMES. Thursday, March 19. Bonmouthsliire, SotOi Wales, to. Newport. COIL. The steam coal trade still continues in a most unsatis- factory condition. Tonnage has come along rather more freely, but is still quite inadequate to lessen the huge stocks which have accumulated and encumber sidings from the pithead to the sea gates. Still, enough has arrived to strengthen the values of small coals for bunkering, which is the only department which does not show a reduction in prices when compared with last week. Large steams generally are quoted nominally 3d. less, but the actual prices obtained are difficult to ascertain with accuracy, depending so much on the pressure experienced by sellers. The house coal trade rules easier, although official prices remain as for many months past, but the quantity of house coals brought into this district from the Midlands is steadily increasing. Pitwood shows rather a slacker trade, and at 19s. 3d. to 19s. 6d. for best French fir is fully Is. down as compared with last week’s values. The outward freight market displays little animation, fixtures being less numerous than desirable, while rates show a disposition on the part of owners to secure business. Prices f.o.b. cash 30 days, less 2| per cent. Current L’st week’s Last year’s Staffordshire (including Cannock Chase):— prices. prices. prices. House coal, best deep ... 18/6 18/6 18/ Do. seconds deep 16/ 16/ 16/6 Do. best shallow 14/9 14/9 14/ Do. seconds do. 14/ 14/ ’ 13/ Best hard 15/ 15/ 14/ Forge coal 11/ H/ 11/ Slack 7/6 7/6 8/6 Warwickshire:— House coal, best Ryder.. 16/6 16/6 17/6 Do. hand-picked cobs 14/ 14/ 13/9 Best hard spires 15/ 15/ 14/6 Forge (steam) 11/ 11/ 10/ D.S. nuts (steam) 10/ 10/ 9/3 Small (do.) 8/3 8/3 8/3 Steam coals :— Best Black Vein large... Western-valleys, ordin’y Best Eastern-valleys ... Secondary do. Best small coals .... Secondary do......... Inferior do.......... Screenings........... Through coals ....... Best washed nuts..... Other sorts:— Best house coal ..... Secondary do......... Patent fuel ......... Furnace coke ........ Foundry coke ........ Current prices. 16/9-17/3 16/ -16/6 15/6-16/ 14/9-15/3 8/3- 8/9 7/6- 7/9 7/ - 7/3 8/6- 8/9 12/3-12/9 13/ -13/3 18/ -19/ 17/ -18/ 19/9-20/ 19/6-20/6 23/ -25/ L’st week’s prices. 17/ -17/3 16/3-16/6 15/9-16/ 15/3-15/6 8/ - 8/3 7/6- 7/9 7/ - 7/3 8/3 12/9-13/ 13/6-13/9 Last year’s prices. 17/6-17/9 17/ -17/3 16/ -16/6 15/9-16/3 14/3-14/6 13/6-13/9 12/9-13/ 14/6 15/3-15/9 14/6-14/9 they will take best Admiralty coals. Current quotations for best qualities are round about 18s. 3d. to 18s. 6d., but, as stated above, these figures have been shaded in a number of instances in order to meet special circumstances. Superior second Admiralties are 3d. lower at 17s. 9d. to 18s., and ordinary qualities show a similar reduction at 17s. 3d. The small coal market has been somewhat irregular, but generally speaking there is an easier tendency than was exhibited a week ago, especially in cargo qualities, which are nearly Is. cheaper. The same features which have affected prices at Cardiff have also had a similar influence on Monmouthshire coals, and at times the quotations have been rather wide. In sympathy with the weakness of Admiralty qualities, a reduction of 6d. to 9d. per ton has taken place in Black Veins, the quotation now standing at 17s. Western-valleys are 16s. 6d. to 16s. 9d., and the best of the eastern- valleys 16s. to 16s. 3d., in each case f.o.b. Cardiff. Bituminous coals continue fairly steady, and there is practically no change in No. 3 Rhondda varieties. In No. 2 qualities, however, a considerable amount of weakness has been exhibited, and quotations are down from 3d. to 6d. per ton. The Custom House returns for the month of February, which have just come to hand, show that the quantity of coal shipped from Cardiff during the month amounted to 1,656,652 tons compared with 1,520,526 tons in the corresponding month of last year. From Newport the shipments were 403,805 tons against 370,678 tons, from Port Talbot 156,380 tons against 161,214 tons, and from Swansea 303,953 tons, as compared with 226,856 tons in February 1913. The following table shows the quantity of coal exported to the chief foreign countries of the world, and to British possessions during February, compared with the total despatched in the corresponding month of last year. 18/ -19/ 17/ -18/ 19/9-20/ 20/ -20/6 23/ -25/ 18/6-19/ 17/6-18/6 22/ -23/ 28/ -28/6 29/ -31/ IRON. Dulness remains the prevailing characteristic of the South Staffordshire iron and steel industries. In most departments business was more restricted than a week ago, and prices, already at an unremunerative level, were easier. Even in galvanised sheets, a department which has all along been a bright spot in the market, competition from outside districts is more and more felt. The chief houses here keep the minimum at .£11 5s., but they have to meet competition at .£11 and .£11 2s. 6d. f.o.b. Fortunately there is still a fair output both on home and foreign account. Makers of standard bars show no inclination to interfere with the .£8 10s. basis, and they are fairly well off for work. In the lower grades, however, the mills are running irregularly, and producers are compelled to accept prices which can be but little removed from the cost of production. Merchant qualities, of which only small lots are sold, can fetch no better than £6 12s. 6d., and makers are not unwilling to cut even this low figure in their desire to get orders. Nut and bolt iron command £6 5s. to £6 7s. 6.1. in the Darlaston and Wednesbury districts. The gas strip industry does not give evidence of any revival, and prices are weak. Black sheets, too, are slower than of late despite the smaller output. Prices are quoted at £7 12s. 6d. to £715s. Pig iron is a stagnant branch. A few orders are on offer at weaker prices, but what with dear fuel and high cost of production in other respects, makers hesitate to entertain them. Although output is kept at the lowest possible, there are heavy stocks at the furnaces. Northamptonshire forge is being sold as low as 47s. 6d. a ton, Derbyshire iron 50s. to 51s., and South Staffordshire 51s. to 52s., part mine. There are better enquiries for foundry iron. Steel is in fair sale at recent values. Copper sheets have been reduced during the week from £81 to £79 a ton. Forest of D®ra0 Lydnej. GOAL. Generally, only a moderate business is passing in the house coal trade of this coalfield, and the collieries are still only managing four and five days in the week; for the time of the year this is very disappointing, as stocks, too, are more than they should be. In consequence of the squally weather shipments have been very limited since last writing, and many boats are overdue. The railborne trade is about steady. The steam coal pits are fairly busy, but there is not much life in the demand, smalls especially being in slow request. Prices at pithead. House coals:— Block Forest Rubble Nuts Rough slack Steam coal:— Large Small Current prices. 17/6 16/6 16/9 15/ 6/6 12/6-13/ 8/ - 9/ L’st week’s prices. 17/6 16/6 16/9 15/ 6/6 12/6-13/ 8/6- 9/ Last year’s prices. 16/6- 15/6 15/9 14/ 10/ 13/ -14/ 10/6-11/ Prices Is. 9d. extra f.o.b. Lydney or Sharpness. IRON. Local conditions of iron and steel trades remain quiet, and little fresh business is passing. Not a great deal of fresh enquiry is coming along, and prices generally are a little easier on the week. Bar mills keep well engaged with current orders, and values here remain steady. Imports of foreign bars for the week total well over 7,000 tons, quota- tions from the Continent being practically unaltered. The conditions in the rail department are inclined to sag. Not a great deal of fresh business is being put through, and very little enquiry is coming along. Prices now are somewhat inclined downwards. At blastfurnaces order books are still well filled, showing furnaces likely to remain busy for some time to come. Welsh haematite is a fair market, although a little easier on the week. Iron ore is steady at last quoted figures. The tinplate trade is rather quiet, and there is a considerable falling off in the demand. Despite the reduction in block tin, makers, who are well booked forward, are holding out for their own prices, although officially values are easier on the week. Latest approximate quotations may be taken as follow :—Steel rails : heavy sections £6 1CL. to £6 15s., light sections £6 15s. to £7; tinplate bars : Bessemer steel £4 10s. to £4 Ils. 3d., Siemens £4 Ils. 3d. Tinplates: Bessemer primes 20 x 14 13s. to 13s. 3d., Siemens primes 20 x 14, 13s. 4^d. to 13s. 6d.; Welsh hsematite 67s. 6d. to 68s. delivered locally ; finished black plate, £9 10s. to £9 15s. Cardiff. In consequence of the severe gales which have prevailed, and the non-arrival of expected tonnage, the market has become thoroughly disorganised, with the result that there is a difficulty in ascertaining what current quotations really are. In the case of buyers who were fortunate enough to have ready tonnage in port, material concessions have been granted by the colliery people in order to clear their wagons. For several days during the week the tonnage available was lower than at any time since the big coal strike of 1912, the consequence being that stocks of coal accumulated in the wagons and the resulting shortage in empties was the cause of a number of temporary stoppages at the beginning of the week. Buyers were not slow to take advantage of the situation, and business was of a restricted character, merchants holding off the market in the hope that quotations would recede still further. As a matter of fact, in some instances best Admiralties have been sold at 18s., and even below this figure, with a corresponding reduction in seconds and other qualities. These rates, however, cannot be said to be a true indication of the state of the market, but were simply concessions made by the colliery owners in order to meet the extra- ordinary circumstances which have arisen. Until tonnage becomes more plentiful, it is not considered that any improvement can be looked for, but salesmen maintain an optimistic attitude with regard to the future, and for the end of the month, and over next month collieries are quoting firmly considerably higher figures than they are prepared to accept for immediate shipment. Chartering last week was not quite on such a large scale as in the preceding six days, the amount of tonnage taken up being only 338,000 tons or a decrease of over 60,000 tons compared with the previous week. Shipments, too, showed a substantial decline at each of the principal Bristol Channel ports. From Cardiff alone the decrease was 56,882 tons, the total being 393,386 tons as compared with 450,268 tons in the corres- ponding week of last year. At Newport there was a falling off of 9,020 tons, at Swansea a decline of 6,785 tons, and at Port Talbot a decrease of 21,544 tons. The Whjte Star, Dominion and American lines are in the market for their annual requirements. Tenders had to be in by the 11th inst., and the result is expected within the course of the next few days. Up to the time of writing nothing definite had been arranged, but following the practice of previous years it is not considered probable that I Sweden ^eb. 1914. Tons. 13,542 Feb. 1913. Tons. 22,141 Norway 11,004 8,533 Germany 15,747 11,612 Netherlands Other Dutch Possessions in 4,707 16,072 the Indian Seas 5,402 5,413 Belgium 31,793 36,620 France 702,160 511,955 Algeria 55,974 73,760 French Somaliland 10,644 5,252 Portugal 57,609 74,508 Azores 2,546 5,731 Madeira 5,355 6,777 Spain 109,144 103,410 Canary Islands 35,182 61,171 Italy 543,711 400,544 Austria-Hungary 26,423 42,769 Greece 37,684 27,028 Bulgaria 5,155 — Turkey (European) 22,641 4,196 „ (Asiatic) 6,720 4,742 Egypt 137,930 165,087 Tunis , 14,828 8,435 Peru 6,993 10 Chili 20,759 21,598 Brazil 128,626 123,728 Uruguay 54,919 39,953 Argentine Republic 288,032 282,824 Channel Islands 4,624 5,050 Gibraltar 10,725 13,463 Malta and Gozo 35,809 75,663 Sierra Leone 7,718 4,478 Protectorate of Nigeria 6,651 1,005 Cape of Good Hope 7,156 4,579 Anglo-Egyptian Sudan 6,999 — Aden and Dependencies 11,481 16,483 British India Straits Settlements and Dependencies (including 18,616 22,982 Labuan) 146 . 5,726 Ceylon and Dependencies... 26,206 . .. 13,678 Hong Kong 1,997 . .. 12,273 West Africa (French) 12,276 . .. 10,783 „ (Portuguese) 21,168 . .. 36,992 Shipments of patent fuel last week amounted to 28,873 tons, of which the Crown Company despatched 11,508 tons, other local makers 1,955 tons, Newport 1,955 tons, and Swansea 13,455 tons. Makers continue busy, and quotations are firmly maintained on the basis of 21s. over the whole year. Several fresh enquiries have come on to the market. The Bone Guema Railway Company are inviting tenders for 10,000 tons for delivery in May, June, September, October and November. The French naval authorities are in the market for 15,800 tons for shipment to Toulon within the next three to six months. The Paris Lyons and Mediterranean railway require 10,000 tons for their Algerian lines, and 12,000 tons are also wanted for the authorities at Valencia for shipment at the rate of 2,500 tons a month commencing in April. The coke market is still in a neglected condition, and quotations are nominally unaltered. O wing to the difficulties experienced in obtaining empty wagons pitwood is slightly easier, best French fir not realising more than 20s. per ton. IRON. There has been rather a better enquiry for tin-plates, but there is still a tendency on the part of merchants to hold off the market, in the hope of securing lower prices. There was a large increase in the shipments last week, whilst receipts from works were practically 30,000 boxes less than they were in the preceding six days. The shipments amounted to 170,780 boxes, whilst the receipts only reached 101,326 boxes, and stocks have been reduced to 381,511 boxes as compared with 465,594 boxes at the corre- sponding date of last year. Of this quantity nearly 3,000 tons were despatched to New York alone. Bessemer standard cokes are 13s. to 13s. 3d., 18|- x 14 sizes 13s. 4|d. to 13s. 6d., and 20 x 10 sheets 19s. to 19s. 3d. Welsh bars are firm at £4 Ils. 3d., both for prompt and forward delivery, and foreign makes are quoted at 85s. per ton c.i.f. The galvanised sheet trade continues dull, and buyers are evidently waiting to see whether the restriction of output, which came into operation on the 1st of the month, will have any effect on prices. Current quotations for 24 gauge corrugateds are still maintained at £11 5s. to £11 10s., but it is reported that works in need of new specifications are prepared to make a substantial concession from these figures. The rail mills have again been quiet, and in